Korean Webfoot Octopus Tofu Stew
Quick answer
- Total time
- 40 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 9
About this dish
Jjukkumi dubu jjigae is a Korean stew of webfoot octopus and soft tofu cooked in a gochugaru-seasoned anchovy broth.
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A full 450 grams of jjukkumi goes into the pot, providing a bouncy, chewy texture in every spoonful. The tofu absorbs the spicy broth as it cooks, creating a soft counterpoint to the firm octopus, and the contrast between the two textures is a central part of the dish. Rice wine added early in the cooking process neutralizes any fishiness from the seafood, keeping the broth clean-tasting rather than pungent. Soup soy sauce deepens the umami base without darkening the broth too heavily, and gochugaru provides the heat. Zucchini and onion contribute natural sweetness that rounds out the broth and prevents the salt from the seafood from feeling sharp or one-dimensional. Jjukkumi becomes rubbery if overcooked, so removing the pot from heat three to four minutes after it comes back to a boil is the key step for keeping the octopus tender and springy rather than tough.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Thoroughly remove the innards from 450 grams of webfoot octopus, then rub the tentacles vigorously with coarse salt to remove slime and rinse under cold water before draining completely in a colander.
- 2Prep
Slice 300 grams of tofu into two centimeter cubes, then cut 150 grams of zucchini and 120 grams of onion into large bite-sized chunks to ensure they provide a substantial texture in the stew.
- 3Season
Pour 850 milliliters of anchovy broth into a pot and add two tablespoons of gochugaru, one tablespoon of minced garlic, and one tablespoon of soup soy sauce, boiling vigorously for five minutes.
- 4Control
Add the prepared onion and zucchini to the spicy broth first, simmering for about six minutes over medium heat until the vegetables soften and release their natural sweetness into the soup base.
- 5Heat
Add the octopus and one tablespoon of rice wine to remove odors.
Once the octopus curls, add tofu and cook for only three to four minutes total to prevent the seafood from turning tough.
- 6Step
Turn off the heat and let the stew rest for two minutes with the lid closed to allow the flavors to penetrate the tofu deeply before serving the chewy octopus and soft tofu.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Jjukkumi dubu jjigae holds the bouncy texture of webfoot octopus and soft tofu in a clean, spicy anchovy broth refined with rice wine.
- Finish cue
- Turn off the heat and let the stew rest for two minutes with the lid closed to allow the flavors to penetrate the tofu deeply before serving the chewy octopus and soft tofu.
- Avoid this
- Add jjukkumi near the end; overcooking makes it tough.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
40min, 9 ingredients
Category median
35min, 9 ingredients
Based on 122 recipes
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